


Dream A Little Dream

by hawke (PicklesCook)



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Angst, Inquisitor Backstory, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-02
Updated: 2018-10-06
Packaged: 2019-07-23 16:15:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16162409
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PicklesCook/pseuds/hawke
Summary: He'd never been here before, but his feet carried him through the tunnels like they knew the way. Maybe they did, the dreams he'd had through childhood were forming before his eyes, the lady made of light, the anchor, the dragon? Theo always wondered what his destiny would be, what the Keeper had warned him of. ‘Great responsibility, da’len. Halam’shivanas, din’anshiral.’ Her words had shaken him then, as they do here.ie: Theo has felt the drum of fate through out his life and its time to face his own destiny. Where will it lead him? He doesn't know.





	1. Chapter 1

 

_Mana. Ma halani_

It was cold. That was the only thing Theo could feel as consciousness pulled at him.

It was fucking freezing.

The cold snow pressed harsh against his cheek as he opened his eyes. Creators, his body _ached_ . He was in.. a cave? Theo pushed himself up, planks of wood falling off his back. A groan tore through his throat as he stood, back protesting with every movement. How far did he fall? _How did he survive?_ He'd thought he was a goner for sure.

A look around revealed he _was_ in a cave system, ice covering the walls and ground. There was a tunnel up ahead and Theo sure hoped that was a way out. He didn't want to die in here after everything he'd been through. He couldn't. He started forward, a feeling of familiarity washing over him. He'd never been here before, but his feet carried him through the tunnels like they knew the way. Maybe they did, the dreams he'd had through childhood were forming before his eyes, the lady made of light, the anchor, the _dragon_ ? Theo always wondered what his destiny would be, what the Keeper had warned him of. ‘ _Great responsibility, da’len. Halam’shivanas, din’anshiral.’_ Her words had shaken him then, as they do here.

He finally reached another open area, stumbling out of the tunnel in surprise when despair demons sprung into existence.

“Fenedhis lasa!” Hadn't the world thrown enough at him already? He threw a ball of fire at one yet it was barely affected.

Theo was exhausted. He wasn't sure he could fight them all off like this.

A tingling went down his arm and centered in the mark, sparking the sicken fade green across the room. It built with power until he couldn’t take it and he thrust his hand out with a shout. To his surprise, a fade rift ripped open where his hand pointed, sucked the demons up and closed just as abruptly as it came to be. He collapsed on the ground, staring at the spot it had been. His hand throbbed, green leaking out of the Anchors edges. Limply, he lifted his hand again, but the power seemed to be drained.

“Ma serannas,” Theo breathed out. It was a moment before he gathered his strength enough to continue. The mark scared him, the power growing each day. Will it consume him? Corypheus said he’d created it to destroy the heavens? What was it capable of?

Theo stopped at the gaping mouth of the cave, the wind screeching through a plane of white. Nothing was visible out in the frozen wasteland but a small fire a few paces away. He didn’t know how long he stood there, taking the darkness in, the cold wind scratching at his face, but by the time he reached the remains of the burning cart it was mere embers. He had to hurry, the others didn’t know to wait for him. He walked forward as fast as the wind allowed, hand covering his eyes from the snow.

“You have to keep going. Ghilan’nain, ma ghilana.” Theo pushed forward, chanting for the Creators under his breath. If he could only catch up to them, he’d make it. His muscles ached, his hand thrummed in the open air; the wind caught at his clothes, chilled his bones yet he continued on. A group of trees were up ahead and he curved toward them for the cover from the wind. He saw a fire pit and hope soared in his chest. He picked up the paste, wind almost sliding him back into the snow before the tree line started to break it up.

“It’s cold. Nothing.” The disappointment was almost as sharp as the cold against his cheeks. No, he couldn’t think like that. They were here. He _was_ heading in the right direction. He had to be. He squared his shoulders and continued through the trees, even the small relief they supplied made it easier to get through. The snow started to slope, the track becoming harder to climb. The trees were falling behind him now, leaving him bare against the harsh wind. Yet the higher he climbed the more rocks he could see. The rocks turned into mountains and the wind died down, small snowflakes dancing around his already frozen nose. The snow was thicker up here, slowly rising above his knees. As he got closer to the top, breath heaving out his chest and shaking his entire body, he could just make out another campfire. It might have been hours since the last one, the snow seeping into his thin leggings, yet as he pushed through, stumbling up the mountain, he could feel the warmth still radiating from it.

“Embers? Recent?” Thank the Creators, they were close. Theo tried to quicken his steps and stumbled, barely catching himself with numb legs. Reaching the path through the top of the mountain, wolves howling around him, he almost let the despair take him, almost didn’t reach the top to see the camp below.

Theo collapsed into the snow, legs giving up on him at Cullen’s voice. He made it. He was safe.

His vision blurred and he desperately tried to stay awake, only to succumb to the darkness.

“Thank the Maker,” Cassandra’s voice rang out as he lost consciousness.

Theo woke up to yelling. His head protested as he opened his eyes and slowly sat up, leant back on one elbow and peered at the group of advisors fighting across the camp.

“Enough! This is getting us nowhere!” Cassandra threw her arms up as she yelled, face filled with frustration and fear.

“Well we’re agreed on that much,” Cullen sneered back, turning away from her like a petulant child.

“Shh,” Theo jumped at Mother Giselle's’ voice so close to him, “you need rest.”

“They’ve been at it for hours,” Theo looked back at the quartet. He could feel their tension from here.

“They have the luxury, thanks to you. The enemy could not follow, and with time to doubt, we turn to blame.” She looked away from him, “Infighting may threaten as much as this Corypheus.” Theo wanted to scuff, but held it in. The Keeper taught him not to bite the hand that feeds him and considering he couldn’t even sit up on his own, he was going to need her help.

“Do we know where Corypheus and his forces are?” The least she could do was give him information.

“We are not sure where _we_ are. Which may be why, despite the numbers he still commands, there is no sign of him. That, or you are believed dead. Or without Haven, we are thought helpless. Or he girds for another attack. I cannot claim to know the mind of that creature, only his effect on us.”

“If they’re arguing about what we do next, I need to be there,” Theo tried again to sit up, only to fall back onto his elbows in frustration.

“Another heated voice won’t help, even yours. Perhaps especially yours. Our leaders struggle because of what we survivors witnessed. We saw our defender stand.. And fall. And now we have seen him _return_ .” Mother Giselle said with reverence. Theo managed to pull himself up as she continued, “The more the enemy is beyond us, the more miraculous your actions appear. And the more our trials seem ordained.” Theo looked away, understanding what she was saying but not in the same ‘holiness’ _she_ meant. “That is hard to accept, no?” She demanded his attention, meeting him eye for eye, “What, ‘we’ have been called to endure? What ‘we’ perhaps, must come to believe?”

“I escaped the evalanche. Barely, perhaps, but I didn’t _die_.” Theo argued.

“Of course, and the dead cannot return from across the veil. But the people know what they saw.” Theo scuffed, but she ignores him, “Or perhaps, what they needed to see. The Maker works both in the moment and in how it is remembered. Can we truly know the heavens are _not_ with us?”

“That’s lying,” Theo spit out, “to yourself and others. You don’t get to remake events to suit your religion.” He steeled himself, glaring daggers at her, “Corypheus said he found only corruption and emptiness. Nothing golden.”

“If he entered that place,” She rebutted, “it has changed him without and within. The living are not meant to make that journey. Perhaps _these_ are lies he must tell himself, rather than accept that he earned the scorn of the Maker. I know I could not bear such.”

Theo took a deep breath, keeping all his irritation at her fanatical belief inside. “Mother Giselle, I just don’t see how what I believe matters. Lies or not, Corypheus is a real, physical threat. We can’t match that with _hope_ alone.” Maybe not Andraste’s hope. Theo didn’t look at her as he pushed off the cot, pain pulsing through his body. He glanced around the camp and he could feel the tension pouring from everyone; Josephine’s head , hung low, Leliana, close by her side. Cullen stood off alone, shoulders tense as he paced. Cassandra glared at the map as if it would give her the answers to the world’s hardest question. _What do we do from here?_ Theo wished he knew too.

“Shadows fall, and hope has fled,” Theo couldn’t believe his eyes as he turned to see Mother Giselle singing, slowly walking forward. “Steel your heart, the dawn will come. The night is long and the path is dark. Look to the sky, for one day soon, the dawn will come.” She stops next to him. He’s too surprised to speak or move before Leliana joins in. More people join to Theo’s astonishment and they all gather around him; kneeling in the dirt and staring up with trusting eyes. He couldn’t look, couldn’t see his evlen features reflected back at him as they sang a shem chant. Dorian catches the corner of his vision and he turns fully to watch him slowly pull away from Chancellor Roderick, sorrow in the pull of his brows. Theo wished he could reach out, yet he understood Mother Giselle was right about some things. They needed a savior and although he was not Andraste’s Herald, he _was_ fated for this. He could not leave them to their own fates anymore than they could leave him to his. Solas meets his eyes across the fire, signalling him with a single look. The singing dies down as Solas slips back into the shadows. By the Creators, can no one give him a break? Everyone cheers together, their spirits definitely livelier than before.

“An army needs more than an enemy. It needs a cause.” Mother Giselle leaves with those parting words, although Solas swoops in to take her place.

“A word?” He nods away from the fire and who was Theo to not follow? He’d wanted an excuse to leave the second they’d started singing. They walked quite a while away from the camp, a single lamp sitting on a hill overlooking the rolling white landscape. Solas raised a hand and summoned fade fire so smoothly, Theo wondered once again where Solas learned his ease of magic. None of the Dalish mages he’s met held such grace in their movements. He held something about him that set Theo’s senses off, something underneath the skin of just a simple apostate. Theo slowly joined him at the torch, knowing he wasn’t going to like what Solas had to say, but needing to hear it anyways.

“The humans have not raised one of our people so high for ages beyond counting. Her faith is hard-won, Lethallin, worthy of pride… save one detail.” Theo held his tongue, watching the almost menacing light dance in Solas’s eyes. “The threat Corypheus wields? The orb he carried? It is ours. Corypheus use the orb to open the Breach. Unlocking it must have caused the explosion that destroyed the Conclave. We _must_ find out how he survived.” Sols remained calm, making sure Theo held his eye contact, “And we must prepare for their reaction, when they learn the orb is of our people.”

“All right,” Theo mulled that over, glancing at his hand for a moment. From the scraps of memory he’s pieced together, the ball could’ve been of elven designed. Yet, “How do you know about it?” Theo took a step back, eyes scanning Solas’ perfect posture.

“Such things were foci, said too channel power from our gods. Some were dedicated to specific members of our pantheon. All the remains are references in ruins and faint visions of memory in the Fade, echoes of a dead empire. But however Corypheus came to it, the orb _is_ Elven, and with it, he threatens the heart of human faith.” Theo knew Solas was hiding something. He wasn’t sure how he knew but he did. Solas stare was steady, though Theo didn’t imagine a man so stuck up his own ego would falter at a mere pause in conversation.

Theo rolled his eyes half heartedly, “Didn’t you see? The people trust me implicitly. They were _singing_?”

“Faith tends to make martyrs of its champions. Whatever the case, that trust cannot grow in the wilderness. You will need every advantage.” Solas stared out into the land,eyes farther away than just what was in front of them. “You should get some rest.”

“Maybe you’re right,” Theo took a step back towards camp, yet paused, staring into the bright blue of the fade torch. “You should too Solas.” Even though Solas rubbed him the wrong way, he knew he wouldn’t be here without Solas’s advanced magics and knowledge of the arcane. “We have a long way to go.”

“Yes we do, lethallin, though I’m confident we’ll make it through with little trouble.”

  
  



	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Almost done with the biggest word by word scenes, its about to veer off a bit soon! Thank you all for reading

“Little trouble” turned into almost a month of traveling through snowy mountains to reach Skyhold. The castle itself was breathtaking, nestled high into the mountain tops. There was only one safe way to get to it and you could see for miles out on each side, making it easier to defend. How Solas knew of this place is another suspicious mystery Theo wants answers too, but not while the Anchor is still active in his hand. Although he didn’t trust Solas, he couldn’t risk losing the only person who seemed to know anything about it.

Theo had been helping the soldiers bring all the gear into Skyhold, trying to beat the sun. He was somehow sweating in the chilled air. The snow didn’t cover the ground inside Skyhold and the air seemed to warm up as you passed through the gates. Theo wondered if there was some spell over the castle, or maybe runes in the stones themselves?

He walked out into the courtyard, spotting the advisors and Cassandra grouped together. Casandra waved him over. What did they want from him now? He’d been working all day. He huffed and made his way to them. Theo only got more confused as he approached, the others dispersed leaving only Cassandra waiting for him.

“They arrive daily from every settlement in the region. Skyhold is becoming a pilgrimage.” She said as he finally approached. She nodded at the healing tents, people gathered around, holding onto each other; there’s already twice as many as there were at Haven. She turned and started walking up the stairs, nodding for Theo to follow.

“If word has reached these people, it will have reached the Elder One. We have the walls and numbers to put up a fight here, but this threat is far beyond the war we anticipated.” They reached the upper courtyard and stopped, Cassandra turned to face him, “But we now know what allowed you to stand against Corypheus, what drew him to you.”

“He came for this.” Theo lifted his hand, the anchor flaring up, “And now it’s useless to him, so he wants me dead.” He dropped his hand, “That’s it.”

“The anchor has power, but it’s not why you’re still standing here,” They both started walking again, Cassandra continuing, “ _ Your _ decisions let us heal the sky. Your determination brought us out of Haven. You are the creature’s rival because of what you  _ did _ . And we know it, all of us.” She led him up the next set of stairs, Leliana standing at the platform with a sword. “The Inquisition requires a leader: The one who has already been leading it,” Leliana stepped toward Theo, offering him the sword. He looked out at the crowd below, all those from Haven, those who had just arrived, those he’d saved. Cullen and Josephine were staring up at him expectantly, waiting for what they’d planned. “You.” Cassandra finished.

“You’re offering this to an elf?” Theo knew he was fated for great things, but a human organization choosing him as their leader? “Are you quite sure you know what you’re doing?” He turned away from the people waiting for his answer and looked back to her.

“I would be terrified handing this power to anyone, but I believe it is the only way. They’ll follow you. To them, being an elf shows how far you’ve risen, how it must have been by Andraste’s hand.” She gestured to Leliana, “What it means to you, how you lead us: that is for you alone to determine.”

Theo hesitated, staring at the sword. He could still back out. Was this really what the Keeper saw for him? Was this his destiny? He grabbed the sword, fingers gently curling around the hilt. It was surprisingly light, the weight of it in his hands so familiar and right. There  _ was _ no backing out of this.

“This isn’t about the greater message. We have an enemy and we have to stand together. We’ll do what is right. The Inquisition will fight for all of us.” He yells out to them, his people. He never thought he’d say that about anyone but his clan. Yet here he was, staring over a mass crowd 

becoming their leader.

“Wherever you lead us.” Cassandra gave him a reassuring smile and a pat on the shoulder before joining him at the edge. “Have our people been told?” She yelled out to the others.

“They have. And soon the world.” Josephine yelled back.

“Commander,” Cassandra addressed Cullen, “will they follow?”

“Inquisition!” Cullen rounded the troops, “will you follow?” The troops cheered back, “will you fight?” They cheered louder, “Will we triumph?” Theo watched as they cheered again. There was something powerful having so many strangers cheer for you, believe in you and what you can do. “Your leader! Your herald! Your Inquisitor!” The cheering filled Theo up, he felt it in his chest. He felt… right for the first time in so long. He laughed to himself before thrusting the sword into the air with a shout, yelling to the Beyond. He hoped the Creators heard him and knew he was accepting his fate. He would walk the path and become what was needed of him. He dropped the sword back down, clinking the sharp tip against the stone underfoot. The sound resonated through the grounds, louder than it should have been. Turning around, he handed the sword gently to Cassandra.

“Gather the other advisors, it’s time to plan,” Theo instructed. She nodded and started down the stairs to Cullen and Josephine. He turned to Leliana, “Thank you for believing in me.” He knew this wasn’t a decision they made lightly.

“This was not a choice of belief, but of action,” Leliana spoke softly, but confidently. “You stood for us when we could not stand for ourselves.” Theo didn’t know what to say to that, so they stood in silence until the others arrived.

“Congratulations!” Josephine quipped, jumping a little on the last step and swooping in for a hug.

“Thank you,” Theo laughed, still not quite used to her casual affection. She stepped back with a huge smile.

“Congrats from me as well,” Cullen slapped his shoulder with a smile to match Josephine’s, “I knew you would do the right thing.”

“Yes, well, I’m not sure there was a choice with this thing,” Theo lifted the Anchor and waved it a bit with a snort, “Let’s see what the inside of this place looks like.” He turned, knowing they’d follow. What a weird feeling, going from prisoner to leader. They all trusted him inexplicably. He just hoped he wouldn’t let them down. He pushed the heavy doors open with Cullen’s help, letting light peak through the dirty entrance way. Broken planks from the ceiling were strewed about, chairs from whorever last occupied the place still sitting at the ruined tables. This was going to be a lot of work.

“So this is where it begins,” Cullen muttered. A chandelier laid crashed on the left, candles still somehow attached. What had happened here? The place looked abandoned for years, maybe decades? Not for the last time, Theo wondered how Solas knew about the place.

“It began in the courtyard. This is where we turn that promise into action.” Leliana countered. A crack in the stained glass poured harsh light over the throne itself, casting it in an almost magical atmosphere.

“But what do we do? We know nothing about this Corypheus except that he wanted your mark.” As Josephine commented on it, the anchor flairs, sending green light across the room and a tingling pain up his arm. He watched the light twinkle away, the throne in front of him a distinct reminder of who he was now. What he was now. Theo turned towards his advisors, knowing it was time they discussed everything that had happened since Haven, fenedhis lasa, since the enclave! So much has happened right after another that there’s been no time to catch up.

“Corypheus wants to restore Tevinter. Is this a prelude to war with the Imperium?” He’d be doing his ancestors an honor for taking them down. Although Dorian had proved to be better than hoped, Theo didn’t trust the Imperium further than he could throw it. Being an entire country, he’d think it would be impossible to throw it at all.

“I get the feeling we’re dealing with extremists, not the vanguard of a true invasion.” Cullen offered.

“Tevinter is not the Imperium of a thousand years ago.” Josephine supplied, “What Corypheus yearns to ‘restore’ no longer exists. Though they would shed no tears if the south fell to chaos, I’m certain.” 

“Corypheus said he wanted to enter the Black City, if that exists, than this would make him a God,” Theo was worried about the implications of that. It's one thing to have dreams of your destiny and it's another to fight an actual god.

“He is willing to tear this world apart to reach the next. It won’t matter if he’s wrong.” Leliana added.

“What if he’s not wrong? If he finds some other way into the fade?” Cullen, ever the believer, argued. Theo didn’t believe in the Maker and this Black City, but he did know Corypheus was a creature he couldn’t comprehend. He’d obviously seen something he believed to be the Holy City and who was Theo to argue with a demented crazy ancient darkspawn/magister hybrid?

“Then he gains the power he seeks or unleashes catastrophe on us all.” Leliana did not seem happy about that.

“Speaking of catastrophe, could his dragon really be an Archdemon? What would that mean for Thedas?” Theo had to ask. That dragon had whipped right out of that avalanche barely affected. If it was truly an Archdemon, something rumored to be the Old Gods, did they stand a chance? With the wardens all in the wind, who would fight?

“It would mean the beginning of another Blight,” Leliana said, voice wavering at the end. She had fought in the last blight alongside the Hero of Fereldan. She knew the horrors better than anyone.

“We’ve seen no darkspawn other than Corypheus himself. Perhaps it’s not an Archdemon at all, but something different?” Josephine proposed.

“Whatever it is,” Cullen interjected, “it’s dangerous. Commanding such a creature gives Corypheus an advantage we can’t ignore.”

“Could he strike at us here? We can’t have a repeat of what happened at Haven.” Theo worried out loud. He’d thought Haven was safe too, how could he know for sure Skyhold wouldn’t fall as well?

“Skyhold has the bones to withstand Corypheus. After what you did with one trebuchet, I’d bet against direct attack.” He was assured by Cullen, but the giddiness from the attack still clear in his voice.

“We do have one advantage; we know what Corypheus intends to do next, in that strange future you experienced, Empress Celene had been assassinated.” Leliana supplied.

“Imagine the chaos her death would cause, with his army..” Josephine said with genuine worry.

“An army he’ll bolster with a massive force of demons,” Cullen scoffed, “or so the future tells us.”

“Corypheus could conquer the entire south of Thedas, God or no God.” Josephine continued.

Leliana sighed before commenting, “I’d feel better if we knew more about what we were dealing with.”

“I know someone who can help with that,” They all turn to see Varric stroll in, "Everyone acting all inspirational jogged my memory, so I, I sent a message to an old friend. He's crossed paths with Corypheus before, and may know more about what he's doing. He can help." Varric seemed nervous.

"I'm always looking for new allies," Theo assured him, "Introduce me." Varric looked around, checking to see who was here.

"Parading around might cause a fuss. It's better for you to meet privately tomorrow. On the battlements.” Varric shrugged, “Trust me, it’s complicated,” He muttered before leaving.

“Well,” Josephine broke the silence, “We stand ready to move on both of these concerns.”

“On your order,  _ Inquisitor _ ,” Cullen nodded.

“I know one thing: if Varric has brought who I  _ think _ he has, Cassandra is going to kill him.” Leliana laughed.

"We'll all convene tomorrow after this meeting with Varric's friend,"  Well, this would at least be interesting. Theo nodded to the others as they all dispersed, going about their own duties. He stood there for a second, alone in the throne room, thinking. There was still so much that had to be done but the sun was setting slowly behind the mountains. Rolling his shoulders, he started forward. 

With it getting late, he’d at least like to find a room to stay in, bed or not. He moved towards the throne, dust wafting up into the air. Theo waved it away, seeing a door to the right, and two to the left of the simple throne. Which one first? Something drew him to the furthest one on the left. The door swung open with a creak and birds flew through, almost knocking Theo back.

“Fen’Harel ma halam!” He yelled at the birds and to his surprise, someone laughed behind him. He turned to see Solas, leaning against the wall.

“Settling in I see?” The smirk on his face unnerved Theo, though he didn’t know why.

“When did you get here?”

“Oh, sometime after everyone left. I wasn’t listening in, if that’s what you are asking.” Solas pushed off the wall, heading back towards the entrance. He stopped at a doorway to the left of the large double doors and turned back. “Be careful who you call on, lethallin, you do not know who’s listening.” With those haunting words, he left Theo alone once more. He looked back into the dark hallway he’d opened, then back to where Solas had exited. The man always gave him the creeps. He tried to shake the feeling away, but it lingered at the base of his skull. It felt like being watched. Theo stepped through the doorway, peering up into the square corridor. He brushed his hand against the railing as he walked. Someone had already been through here, the torches lit the room from their spots on the wall. The hole in the wall must have been how the birds had gotten in, for he didn’t see any other opening. He hoped they hadn’t made nests, he would like to avoid being scared every time he opened a door. Continuing through the other door, he was met with a small window and more stairs. Light was cascading in through large windows above, the warm tones of the sunset settling him.

At the top of the stairs, the room opened up. Living in aravels his entire life, and then the small room at Haven, had not prepared him for this. The room, just like Skyhold itself, was breathtaking. There were large stained glass doors to the right and he followed them out onto a balcony overlooking the mountain range. The landscape covered the setting sun, but the colors washed everything in a beautiful gold and pink glow. Theo was taken away, frozen by the beauty of it all. He let himself take it in, embrace the scene as much as he could.

Yet, there was still more to explore. He followed around to the next set of doors, going back into the room. It was empty, tattered rugs laying across the ground, a dresser turned over in the corner, but Theo knew it would look magnificent after Josephine was done with it. There was a small room to the left by the stairs and a room to the right the led up to a small rafter. Further right from that was another set of stained glass doors that led to  _ another _ balcony. That one overlooked part of the courtyard and what seemed to be a dying garden. He turned back in, closing the doors behind him. There was a bed between the two small rooms and although it looked old and tattered, he was sure it was still usable for the night.

Theo sat on the bed, breathing in deep. He could hear music waft up from outside and he briefly entertained the thought of joining the celebrations, they  _ were _ for him. A yawn pulled at his mouth and he laid back instead, curling into a ball on the old mattress. There would be time to celebrate another day. What he needed was rest and it did not take long for sleep to overcome him.


End file.
